Dual-chamber liquid ejector and filling connector

ABSTRACT

A dual-chamber liquid-injecting device includes a powder loaded piston-type syringe attached to a liquid container by a connecting member. The connecting member has an inner sleeve sliding within an outer sleeve with opposite ends of the sleeves coupling the neck of the container to the nozzle of the syringe. Ports on the inner sleeve are sealed within the outer sleeve in a preliminary extended position, and they are opened when the sleeves are pushed together or contracted to communicate the syringe with the container. The contents of the container are then drawn into the syringe. The connecting member is screwed to the neck of the container and attached to the nozzle of the syringe by a snap-fit connection on the inner sleeve. This facilitates ready detachment of the syringe from the connecting member and container for application. Locating stops for the different positions of the sleeves are provided by annular ridges between the sleeves or a cap on an internal boss within the outer sleeve, which also acts as a seal. The cap is automatically pushed off into the container when the connector is pushed together.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Helrnut W. Rani Karlsruhe-Wa1dstadt;Lothar 11. Happes, Karlsruhe-Surlaeh, both of Germany [21 1 App]. No.853,124

[22] Filed Aug. 26, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 5, 1971 [73] Assignee PfizerInc.

New York, N.Y.

[32] Priority Aug. 28, 1968 [33] Germany [54] DUAL-CHAMBER LIQUIDEJECTOR AND FILLING CONNECTOR 14 Claims, 7 Drawing Fi s,

[52] u.s.c1 141/27, 141/363, 141/383, 128/272 [51] 1nt.Cl A6lj 1/00 50Field ofsearch 222/136,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,445,477 7/1948 Folkmanl28/272 2,659,370 11/1953 Smith 128/272 3,067,784 12/1962 Gorman 141/27Primary Examiner- Robert B. Reeves Assisianl Examiner'1'homas E.Kocovsky Attornev- Connolly & Hutz ABSTRACT: A dual-chamberliquid-injecting dev1ce includes a powder loaded piston-type syringeattached to a liquid container by a connecting member. The connectingmember has an inner sleeve sliding within an outer sleeve with oppositeends of the sleeves coupling the neck of the contamer to the nozzle ofthe syringe. Ports on the 1nner sleeve are sealed within the outersleeve in a preliminary extended position, and they are opened when thesleeves are pushed together or contracted to communicate the syringewith the container. The contents of the container are then drawn intothe syringe. The connecting member is screwed to the neck of thecontainer and attached to the nozzle of the syringe by a snap-fitconnection on the inner sleeve. This facilitates ready detachment of thesyringe from the connecting member and container for application.Locating stops for the different positions of the sleeves are providedby annular ridges between the sleeves or a cap on an Internal bosswithin the outer sleeve, which also acts as a seal. The cap isautomatically pushed off into the container when the connector is pushedtogether.

DUAL-CHAMBER LIQUID EJECTOR AND FILLING CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a dual-chamber liquid ejector orinjector, especially for veterinary purposes, including a pistontypesyringe which constitutes a first chamber for a substance to be mixed.

In human and veterinary medicine, various devices are needed foradministration and injection of drugs. The invention aims atfacilitating the administration or injection for the doctor,particularly where the drug to be applied must be mixed from two or moreoriginal substances before use. Syringes of various types are known,which provide two chambers containing the original substances to bemixed. When activating the syringe, a partition wall between thesechambers is opened, the contents thus becoming ready for use. Thesepreviously known dual-chamber syringes are, however, expensive tomanufacture or cause difficulties during field use, thus preventingwidespread use. Especially in veterinary medicine, devices foradministration and injection are needed, which can be handled easily andwhich may be mass produced at low cost.

For treatment of local disorders in animals, especially in the cowudder, preparations are used wherein the active substances are dispersedin a base containing mineral or vegetable oil. These dispersions aresupplied in plastic injectors as readyto-use syringes, thus pennittingdirect administration of the drug dispersion into the udder. Thesedrugs, effective in themselves, show disadvantages, because relativelylarge quantities of the vehicle, consisting of mineral and vegetable oiland thickened with aluminum stearate, must be administered, resulting indelayed release and absorption of the active substance and a possibleforeign body reaction in the udder. Moreover, the volume administered islimited by the oleaginous vehicle. In many cases there is not enoughfluid available in the udder itself to extract the active substancesfrom the oleaginous vehicle.

For this reason, mineral and vegetable oil preparations have notobtained full market acceptance. Many udder inflammations are thereforetreated with aqueous drug solutions. Such preparations are generallymarketed in the form of conventional ampuls or vials. One vial containsthe active substances in dry form, while the solvent is contained inanother vial or ampule. Thus, before treatment, both substances must bedrawn into a syringe and the resulting solution of the two substancesconstitutes the medicament to be administered. The use of such syringesis particularly complicated when several ampuls are administered,especially under the conditions in which veterinary treatments are oftenperformed.

It, therefore, appears advisable to provide aqueous solutions forveterinary application in a two-component syringe, in which they aremixed immediately before treatment in the manner already known in humanmedicine, e.g., in chloramphenicol injection. Those syringes alreadyknown are however, unsuitable for veterinary use as mass-producedarticles. There is also a need for a simple and economical connector forrapidly and conveniently filling a liquid injector from a sealedcontainer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims at creating adual-chamber injector, especially for veterinary purposes. which may bemassproduced at a low cost and which allows for especially simplehandling. The starting point of the invention is an injector in the formof a piston-type syringe, which constitutes a first chamber for asubstance to be mixed. A second chamber for a further substance to bemixed is provided by an additional receptacle adapted to be fitted anthe nozzle portion of the injector.- In the region of the neck portionon additional receptacle a seal is provided which may be opened by'aslidable sleeve. The slidable sleeve is mounted in a connectingmemberwhich is connectable with said neck portion and the end of theslidable sleeve remote from the seal provides a seal on the nozzleportion. Such a dual-chamber injector comprises a piston-type syringewith a fitted additional receptacle. The stability of active substancesand additives in the individual chambers is maintained by the perfectsealing of the injector from the additional receptacle under sterileconditions. To prepare the dual-chamber injector for use, it is onlynecessary to slide the additional receptacle with the connecting memberin the direction of the injector. This opens the seal or removes orruptures any additional sealing element. Subsequently, the contents ofthe additional receptacle enters the slidable sleeve, which surroundsand seals the nozzle portion, and from there it is drawn up into theinjector. The additional receptacle with connecting member and theslidable sleeve is then taken off the nozzle portion of the injector.The mixture, which has formed in the chamber of the injector, is readyfor use. The connecting member is also useful for rapidly andconveniently filling a liquid injector from a sealed receptacle orcontainer for the liquid.

The connecting member may be designed to permit a combination ofadditional receptacles with injectors of different sizes, withoutsimultaneously requiring a change of the connecting member and theslidable sleeve. A considerable simplification of assembly is therebyachieved.

The connecting member may advantageously be screwed on the check portionof the additional receptacle with a threaded outer sleeve, and a sealingelement or cap and/or ridge may be provided in the region of thisthreaded sleeve on an internal boss within the connecting member. Acentral bore of the outer sleeve acts as a guiding element for slidablesleeve. The outer sleeve may also be provided with a socket at the endadjacent the injector, which is adapted to the external shape of theslidable sleeve. When readying the injector for use the sealing elementlimits the extent of engagement of the sleeve members towards eachother. This permits especially convenient handling. Cooperativelyarranged annular ridges on the slidable sleeves may permit assembly ofthe sleeves without contracting them.

The sealing element, provided if necessary in case of stringent sealingrequirements, may be designed in different ways depending on thesubstances to be contained, e.g., as a cap, which may be slipped off, apartition wall capable of being perforated or a sealing ring or ridgebetween the outer and the inner sleeve. In many cases, an adequate sealis provided by the fit between the outer sleeve and the slidable innersleeve, whose flow-through recesses communicate with the inside of theadditional receptacle only after shifting the slidable inner sleeve intothe position for use. In this case, it may under certain circumstancesbe appropriate to increase the reliability of the sea] by providing aseal in the zone of the central bore of the connecting member, opposingthe slidable sleeve. It may be advantageous that this seal is designedas a circular lip or ridge, integral with the connecting member.

The slidable inner sleeve may be closed at the end remote from theinjector and be provided with an annular end piece at the face side,while the flow-through recesses for the contents of the additionalreceptacle are provided adjacent the closed end, perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis.

The dual-chamber injector, consisting of injector, slidable connectingmember, and additional receptacle, may be preassembled as one unit,ready for use. The individual parts of the dual-chamber injector arepreferably produced as molded parts, for instance as plastic injectionmolded parts.

The additional receptacle either contains a sufficient quantity of airor is sufiiciently flexible due to material and wall thickness, to allowfor changes in volume.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION-OF THE DRAWING Novel features and advantages of thepresent invention will become apparent to one skilled in'theart from areading of the following description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein similar'reference characters referto'similar parts and'in which;

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of a dual-chamber injector which isone embodiment of this invention assembled with chambers isolated fromeach other;

FIG. 2 is a left end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation similar to FIG. 1, partially brokenaway in cross section;

FIG. 4 is a ems-sectional side view in elevation of the embodiment shownin FIG. 1 in the contracted condition with chambers in communicationwith each other;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 in which the contentsof the container are drawn into the syringe;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 3 along the line6-6; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view in elevation of the connectingportion of another embodiment of this invention.

FIGS. 1 to 6 show a dual-chamber injector 20, incorporating ejector 1comprising a piston-type syringe. An additional container 4 is connectedwith the ejector by inner sleeve member 3, slidable in outer sleeve 2.Sleeves 2 and 3 are included within connector 30. In barrel 5 of ejectorl, a shiftable piston 6 is inserted in conventional manner. On barrel 5,there is a nozzle portion 7, which merges into a conical needle portion8. The end of slidable inner sleeve 3 adjacent to ejector 1 is fittedonto the nozzle portion 7 over circular sealing ridge 22. Flow-throughapertures 9 extend through sleeve member 3, transversely orperpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. The end of the slidable sleeve3 adjacent to the additional receptacle 4 has a circular end base 10 andan annular end 11 which fits snugly against circular lip 24 extendingwithin longitudinal passageway 19 in outer sleeve 2. A tight seal isthereby obtained, despite variation in the diameters of recess 19 andpipe member 3 encountered in production. Another circular lip 28 oninner sleeve 3 also helps guide and seal as later described.

Outer sleeve 2 has a threaded sleeve portion 14 provided with aninternal thread whereby it may be screwed onto a correspondinglythreaded zone on neck portion 15 of additional receptacle or container4. Outer sleeve 2 contains a partly conical socket 17, defined bylongitudinal ribs 16. The conical recess conforms to the external shapeof the end piece on inner sleeve 3. Inner sleeve 3 also has an annularflange 18 on the end coupled to nozzle 7 and is mounted in a centralpassageway 19 through outer sleeve 2.

Injector 1 has a first chamber I, while a second chamber II is providedby the internal space of the additional receptacle or container 4. Inboth chambers, respective components of the drug, to be applied as amixture, may be stored. Powder 21 is thus stored in chamber 1 and liquid23 in chamber II.

The dual-chamber injector is assembled and delivered in the positionshown in FIGS. l-3. To ready the injector for use, outer sleeve 2 ofconnector 30 together with the screwed-on additional receptacle 4 isshifted toward nozzle portion 7 of injector 1 (as shown in FIG. 4) insuch a manner that the end portion of inner slidable sleeve 3 adjacentthe injector is in contact with recessed ends 17 of radial ribs 16 ofthe outer sleeve 2. In this case, the end of the inner slidable sleeve 3adjacent additional receptacle 4 enters the inside of additionalreceptacle 4. Flow-through apertures 9 then move out of their sealingcontact on the inner surface of the central recess 19 of the outersleeve 2 and now communicate with the interior of the additionalreceptacle 4. The piston 6 of the injector 1 is then withdrawn (as shownin FIG. 5) thus drawing in the liquid contents of the additionalreceptacle 4 from chamber II. If desired, the distribution of drysubstance or powder 21 and liquid 23 may be reversed. The liquidcontents mix with the contents of chamber I, so that the drug is readyfor use. The additional receptacle 4 together with the connecting member2 and the slidable sleeve 3 may then be removed. The injector is thenready for use.

In accordance with the invention, a dual-chamber injector,

capable of being assembled ready for use, may be produced,

preferably for veterinary medicine, but in special cases also for humanmedicine. Furthermore, the conical shoulder portion or nozzle 7 of theinjector can be advantageously constructed for fitting known injectionneedles.

FIG. 7 shows the connecting portion 30A of another embodiment of thisinvention. FIG. 7 shows the parts in the preliminary sealed conditionsimilar to FIG. 3. Cap 13 is mounted on reduced annular end 12A of boss32A forming an extension of longitudinal passageway 19A within outersleeve 2A. Cap 13A provides a positive seal between the interior ofinner sleeve 3A and chamber 11A in container 4A. Cap 13A also provides alocating stop for the annular end 1 1A of inner sleeve 3A. When outersleeve 3A is moved toward the coupling end flange 18A of inner sleeve3A, annular end 11A of inner sleeve 3A pushes cap 13A off extendedannular end 12A of boss 32A into chamber [IA of container 4A. A cap suchas 13A may also be used in conjunction with the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-6 and would therein be positioned on annular extension 11 ofboss 32 within the coupling end of outer sleeve 2.

Because of low production costs, such dual-chamber injectors or ejectorsare-apart from application in the field of medicine-also practicable forother fields where a mixture of two separately stored substances is tobe produced before use. For example, a similar ejector may be producedas a spraying device for cream, wherein a freeze-dried storable initialproduct is contained in chamber I and a quantity of liquid required fordissolution in chamber II. Connector 30 may also be used for filling anempty injector 20 with a liquid from a container or receptacle 4. Theliquid may thus be maintained sealed in the container until immediatelyprior to use.

We claim:

1. A dual-chamber liquid ejecting device comprising a piston-typesyringe incorporating a first chamber and a nozzle, a containerincorporating a second chamber and a neck, a connecting member includingan inner sleeve movably inserted within an outer sleeve, coupling meanson the opposite ends of said sleeves connecting said outer sleeve tosaid neck of said container and said inner sleeve to said nozzle of saidsyringe, port means on a portion of said inner sleeve insertable withinsaid outer sleeve, and sealing surface means in said outer sleeve forclosing said port means in one relative position of said inner and outersleeves and for permitting said port means to communicate with said neckcoupling means in another relative position of said inner and outersleeves whereby the contents of said second chamber may be drawn intosaid first chamber through said inner sleeve and said nozzle.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein radial guide vanes aredisposed within said outer sleeve in an array adjacent and about saidinner sleeve for maintaining said sleeves longitudinally aligned.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the coupling end of saidinner sleeve and the adjacent ends of said radial guide vanes aremutually conically shaped for engaging nesting contact with each other.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inner and outer sleevesinclude mutually contacting longitudinal walls, said port meanscomprises aperture means in said longitudinal wall of said inner sleeve,said inner and outer sleeves slide longitudinally relative to eachother, and said sealing surface means comprises said longitudinal wallin said outer sleeve within which said inner sleeve slides, saidcoupling end of said inner sleeve being longitudinally displaced awayfrom said coupling end of said outer sleeve in said one relativeposition whereby said aperture means are maintained in sealing contactwithin said longitudinal wall in said outer sleeve, and said sleevesbeing longitudinally contracted in said other relative position of saidsleeves whereby said aperture means moves out of contact with saidlongitudinal wall in said outer sleeve into communication with said neckcoupling means on said outer sleeve.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said outer sleeve includes acylindrical boss extending the longitudinal cylindrical wall of saidouter sleeve within which said inner sleeve slides toward said neckcoupling means, and cap means being detachably mounted upon saidcylindrical boss to help seal said inner sleeve from said neck couplingmeans.

6. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said neck coupling meanscomprises threaded connecting means on said neck and within the end ofsaid outer sleeve.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said coupling means alsoincludes a snapfitting means on said nozzle and within said coupling endof said inner sleeve.

8. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein annular ridge means isdisposed within said outer sleeve in contact with said inner sleeve tohelp seal the space therebetween.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein annular ridge means is alsoprovided on said inner sleeve means in contact with said outer sleevemeans to help seal the space therebetween.

10. A connecting member for filling a liquid ejector incorporating afirst chamber and a nozzle from a container incorporating a secondchamber and a neck, said connecting member comprising an inner sleeveinserted to slide within an outer sleeve, coupling means on the oppositeends of said sleeves for connecting said outer sleeve to said neck ofsaid container and said inner sleeve to said nozzle of said liquidejector port means on a portion of said inner sleeve inserted withinsaid outer sleeve, said inner and outer sleeves include mutuallycontacting longitudinal walls, said port means comprises aperture meansin said longitudinal wall of said inner sleeve, said coupling end ofsaid inner sleeve being longitudinally displaced away from said couplingend of said outer sleeve in a preliminary relative position in whichsaid aperture means is maintained in sealing contact within saidlongitudinal wall in said outer sleeve, and said sleeves beinglongitudinally contracted in said other relative position of saidsleeves whereby said aperture means moves out of contact with saidlongitudinal wall in said outer sleeve into communication with said neckcoupling means.

11. A connecting member as set forth in claim 10 wherein said outersleeve comprises a cylindrical boss extending the inner longitudinalcylindrical wall of said outer wall within which said inner sleeveslides toward said coupling means.

12. A connecting member as set forth in claim 11 wherein radial guidevanes are disposed within said outer sleeve in an array adjacent andabout said inner sleeve for maintaining said sleeves longitudinallyaligned.

13. A connecting member as set forth in claim 12 wherein said neckcoupling means comprise internal connecting means within the end of saidouter sleeve for connection to the neck of said container and anenlarged end on said inner sleeve for connection to said liquid ejector.

14. A connecting member as set forth in claim 13 wherein circularsealing ridges are disposed between said inner and outer sleeves forsealing the space therebetween.

1. A dual-chamber liquid ejecting device comprising a pistontype syringeincorporating a first chamber and a nozzle, a container incorporating asecond chamber and a neck, a connecting member including an inner sleevemovably inserted within an outer sleeve, coupling means on the oppositeends of said sleeves connecting said outer sleeve to said neck of saidcontainer and said inner sleeve to said nozzle of said syringe, portmeans on a portion of said inner sleeve insertable within said outersleeve, and sealing surface means in said outer sleeve for closing saidport means in one relative position of said inner and outer sleeves andfor permitting said port means to communicate with said neck couplingmeans in another relative position of said inner and outer sleeveswhereby the contents of said second chamber may be drawn into said firstchamber through said inner sleeve and said nozzle.
 2. A device as setforth in claim 1 wherein radial guide vanes are disposed within saidouter sleeve in an array adjacent and about said inner sleeve formaintaining said sleeves longitudinally aligned.
 3. A device as setforth in claim 2, wherein the coupling end of said inner sleeve and theadjacent ends of said radial guide vanes are mutually conically shapedfor engaging nesting contact with each other.
 4. A device as set forthin claim 1 wherein said inner and outer sleeves include mutuallycontacting longitudinal walls, said port means comprises aperture meansin said longitudinal wall of said inner sleeve, said inner and outersleeves slide longitudinally relative to each other, and said sealingsurface means comprises said longitudinal wall in said outer sleevewithin which said inner sleeve slides, said coupling end of said innersleeve being longitudinally displaced away from said coupling end ofsaid outer sleeve in said one relative position whereby said aperturemeans are maintained in sealing contact within said longitudinal wall insaid outer sleeve, and said sleeves being longitudinally contracted insaid other relative position of said sleeves whereby said aperture meansmoves out of contact with said longitudinal wall in said outer sleeveinto communication with said neck coupling means on said outer sleeve.5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said outer sleeve includes acylindrical boss extending the longitudinal cylindrical wall of saidouter sleeve within which said inner sleeve slides toward said neckcoupling means, and cap means being detachably mounted upon saidcylindrical boss to help seal said inner sleeve from said neck couplingmeans.
 6. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said neck couplingmeans comprises threaded connecting means on said neck and within theend of said outer sleeve.
 7. A device as set forth in claim 6, whereinsaid coupling means also includes a snap-fitting means on said nozzleand within said coupling end of said inner sleeve.
 8. A device as setforth in claim 4 wherein annular ridge means is disposed within saidouter sleeve in contact with said inner sleeve to help seal the spacetherebetween.
 9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein annular ridgemeans is also provided on said inner sleeve means in contact with saidouter sleeve means to help seal the space therebetween.
 10. A connectingmember for filling a liquid ejector incorporating a first chamber and anozzle from a container incorporating a second chamber and a neck, saidconnecting member comprising an inner sleeve inserted to slide within anouter sleeve, coupling means on the opposite ends of said sleeves forconnecting said outer sleeve to said neck of said container and saidinner sleeve to said nozzle of said liquid ejector port means on aportion of said inner sleeve inserted within said outer sleeve, saidinner and outer sleeves include mutually contacting longitudinal walls,said port means comprises aperture means in said longitudinaL wall ofsaid inner sleeve, said coupling end of said inner sleeve beinglongitudinally displaced away from said coupling end of said outersleeve in a preliminary relative position in which said aperture meansis maintained in sealing contact within said longitudinal wall in saidouter sleeve, and said sleeves being longitudinally contracted in saidother relative position of said sleeves whereby said aperture meansmoves out of contact with said longitudinal wall in said outer sleeveinto communication with said neck coupling means.
 11. A connectingmember as set forth in claim 10 wherein said outer sleeve comprises acylindrical boss extending the inner longitudinal cylindrical wall ofsaid outer wall within which said inner sleeve slides toward saidcoupling means.
 12. A connecting member as set forth in claim 11 whereinradial guide vanes are disposed within said outer sleeve in an arrayadjacent and about said inner sleeve for maintaining said sleeveslongitudinally aligned.
 13. A connecting member as set forth in claim 12wherein said neck coupling means comprise internal connecting meanswithin the end of said outer sleeve for connection to the neck of saidcontainer and an enlarged end on said inner sleeve for connection tosaid liquid ejector.
 14. A connecting member as set forth in claim 13wherein circular sealing ridges are disposed between said inner andouter sleeves for sealing the space therebetween.